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To Stage or Not to Stage?

There are several opinions on when a home needs to be staged and when it doesn't. Some say "stage" when the home is vacant, while others say staging a vacant home will take away from the potential buyers ability to envision their own belongs in the home.

What say you, the "Home Staging Experts"?

I'm just a Realtor with sooo many listings they're coming out the Wazoo (whatever that means) and I need to get them SOLD!!!!!!

Posted by Chidale O'Hara on 03/11/2007 03:42 PM

Comments (8)

8 Comments on To Stage or Not to Stage?

MAR

2007

Chidale - Great question! It is absolutely true that buyers need to be able to envision their own belongings in a home and the truth is that 90% of the poplulation needs a home to be staged to be able to do that. Why?

Spatial reference. Buyers - women especially - need to have a reference point to guage the size of a room and determine whether their things will fit. Example: If the master bedroom currently holds a queen size bed, is their ample space left that a King will fit also?
Emotional connection. An empty preowned home often feels abandoned and uncared for. A house that is furnished displays that someone still holds a connection to the house and is making sure that it is maintained.
Furniture placement. 90% of buyers lack vision and have no idea where they would put furniture in a home and without seeing a home actually furnished would be baffled as to where to put their own. This is especially true in open concept plans, as most people just shove the couch against a wall and if there is no wall...
Furniture defines a space. In some floor plans, it is difficult to determine what the use of a room may be. Is it a formal living room? Is it a dining room? Is it an office? Is it a guest room? Sometimes it is hard to tell. Why would they buy a room tht they do not know what they would use it for?

Okay, that is probably enough reasons to stage a vacant house, but I'm sure others may have thought of something that I have not. I hope that helps! Good luck with your listings!

According to NAR the # of vacant homes is increasing every month. This is because they just don't sell as quickly as their furnished counterparts. Vacant homes are depressing and don't show well on MSL. Also there is something about a vacant that screams desperation. I think buyers are more likely to throw out low ball offers to owners of vacants because they feel they are desperate.

Thanks Kimberly and Maureen for you're advice.....

MAR

2007

i would like to add that it depends on your area. ideally a home is staged because it puts you at an advantage. but there are also areas where a home sells quickly without staging. so it really depends. lucky for me that in my area, staging has become a must, especially in higher end homes.

cheers,

cindy@staged4more

I also, think it depends on where you live. In New York an empty house usually signals that the seller is probably carrying two mortgages and is desperate, therefore, the house will generate low ball offers. I recently was down south, and most of the homes I looked at were empty, but there is just a whole different vibe with that market. Personally, I think a little staging in an empty house can go a long way!!!!!!

Maureen Graziano

Kimberly came up with the important reasons to stage. I am finding, however, that there is another problem concerning the vacant house, and that is that the person who bought it to 'flip', has invested more money than expected to renovate the property, and then has the empty house sitting on the market for months. The expense of taxes, mortgage, utilities, etc. continue to accrue. The owner really wants to stage the house, but doesn't want to spend more than a few hundred dollars TOTAL to do so - and that should include furniture, accessories and staging!

I'm working hard to educate these people about the reality involved...it isn't as simple as just fixing, sprucing up and painting. It will take much more than that to sell the property. It's an uphill battle, but I take it case by case and one house at a time.

VAL

I think Cindy and both Maureen may just have a point with location being an important factor. And where I am in Vallejo, Ca staging is definitely on the rise. We have several properties to choose from in almost every price range.
Val also makes a good point about sellers not wanting or being able to foot the bill for staging. I too think a little staging can go a long way, but not having a flexible professional stager in this area makes things somewhat difficult.

MAR

2007

I agree Kimberly touched on all the main reasons why you should stage a vacant. Since buying a home is usually such an emotional response (i.e., it feels like "home") I don't think I have ever heard someone walk into an empty house and say, "it feels like home".

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